by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Eduardo Acosta did what a good leadoff man is asked to do in Kansas City Kansas Community College’s 13-3 win over Rockhurst University junior varsity Tuesday.
Normally an outfielder given the starting nod at shortstop, Acosta rapped out two singles, a double and a triple in four trips to the plate, scored three times and drove in five runs as the Blue Devils (35-13) head into their final Jayhawk Conference series of the season.
Firmly entrenched in third place with a chance to overtake Johnson County for second place, KCKCC will go to Coffeyville Thursday and then return home against the Red Ravens Saturday, Both doubleheaders are scheduled for 1 p.m. starts.
The Blue Devils lashed out 14 hits against Rockhurst. In addition to Acosta’s four hits, freshman Joshua Salazar homered, Jose Sosa and Traice Hartter doubled and singled and Kevin Santiago singled twice.
KCKCC used four pitchers in the game shortened to seven innings by the 10-run rule.
Jake Martin worked the first three innings, allowing two hits and an unearned run. He struck out four, walked three. Max Storch struck out four in two hitless innings; Jose Amaro allowed two hits and a run in one inning; and Josiah Crowley worked the seventh, allowing three hits and a run.
After taking a 1-0 lead in the first on singles by Acosta and Santiago, the Blue Devils scored five times in the second and three in the third.
Acosta drove in two runs with a triple, Santiago and Griffin Everitt each singled in a run and Hartter doubled in the fifth run in the second. Acosta drove in the three runs in the third with a bases-loaded double following two walks and a Matt Schrick bunt single.
Sosa singled in a pair of runs in the fifth inning and Salazar started the seventh with a home run to right-center. Sosa doubled with two out to set up a game-ending RBI single by Crowley, who had also pitched the final inning.